
Yokohama F. Marinos vs. Al Nassr: How to watch AFC Champions League, live stream
Yokohama F. Marinos vs. Al Nassr: How to watch AFC Champions League, live stream
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New USMNT coach shares philosophy for making team a contender in 2026 World Cup
Mauricio Pochettino has a lot of work to do to turn around the U.S. Men's National Team before America hosts the 2026 World Cup. "Poch" walks us through his plans.
Al Nassr will face Yokohama F Marinos in the Asian Champions League Elite quarterfinal on Saturday.
Al Nassr fell to Al Ain in the quarterfinal last season, as the Saudi side continues to chase its first trophy since Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival in 2022.
Ronaldo has continued to be prolific even after turning 40 earlier this year. The Portuguese star broke the Saudi Pro League's scoring record last season with 35 goals and tops the chart again this season.
Watch Yokohama F. Marinos vs. Al Nassr on Paramount+
But Al Nassr's last hope at avoiding another trophy-less season comes in the form of the Champions League, with the club eight points behind first-place Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League.
Al Nassr will be favored to get past Yokohama F Marinos, which is currently bottom of the league in Japan after a 1W-5D-6L start.
The winner of this tie will face the winner between Kawasaki Frontale and Al Sadd in the semifinal.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of the match.
Yokohama F. Marinos vs. Al Nassr (AFC Champions League)
When: Saturday, April 26
Saturday, April 26 Where: Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
3:30 p.m. ET Channel/streaming: Paramount+ (WATCH LIVE)
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Jesse Marsch and Canada eye historic opportunity a year out from World Cup
One year from Thursday, Canada will step onto BMO Field in Toronto and try to do what no Canada team has done in the men's World Cup: win a game – and then possibly elevate the team and the sport into mainstream consciousness. It's the next step in a rapid rise, but one that has eluded Canada in its two men's World Cup appearances. Advertisement With the most talented team in Canadian history, and World Cup games at home, the opportunity won't get better than this. A year out from what could be a transformational event in Canadian sport, whispers have emerged about this team being Canada's golden generation. What's missing is the kind of wins that those types of teams around the world deliver. Behind the scenes, achieving Canada's first men's World Cup win and reaching the knockout round is the bar that the coaching staff and organization have set for the team. Of the 80 countries to have appeared at the World Cup, Canada is one of just two nations to have appeared at multiple World Cups without logging a single point. That's part of what's driving the desperation for this group: It understands it has to change the course of this team, and the sport, for the better. 'I think we're not at the point we want to be,' Stephen Eustáquio said when asked about the state of the team with one year before the World Cup. 'If the World Cup was this summer, I wouldn't know what to say. But with the path we are taking and the work rate we have and the way that we play, I think this year is going to be very important for us, so we can be sharp enough to prepare ourselves for the World Cup.' How they answer questions about their team over the next year will determine how prepared Canada will be to take the next dramatic step. Let's be honest about what Canada's core – Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Alistair Johnston and Eustáquio – has accomplished in meaningful, competitive games against difficult competition: 2022 World Cup qualifying wins over Mexico and then the U.S. at home remain the most impressive results. The other wins they've earned? They came against teams that won't offer the quality they'll see in the World Cup. How about what Canada has accomplished since Jesse Marsch took over in May 2024? You could make an argument that their style of play beforehand is now irrelevant. The 0-0 draw away to France in June 2024 could be viewed as a significant achievement, depending on where you fall on the 'friendlies are never friendly' debate. Getting that kind of result in the World Cup would signify a massive step forward. Beating down Ukraine 4-2 this past weekend in a friendly was also the most clinical win from the Canadian side. Even though Canada's Copa América triumphs against Venezuela and Peru showcased important steps forward in tactical cohesion and confidence, both teams also appear unlikely to qualify for the World Cup. Advertisement The lack of results against some of the world's better teams should not go overlooked – especially since the players themselves are not overlooking it. 'We're going in the right direction and building off the last tournament in Copa América, but I think we still have a lot to give,' forward Cyle Larin said. 'Obviously, we want to win games and trophies, but we have to win by doing the right things and compete at the highest level. We've turned things around quickly, but the more games we play and win, the more things will click.' What Canada has lacked is savviness and game management against stronger opponents. The talent has been evident, but the ability to lock down games and buoy their cases with referees mid-game has been lacking. For Canada to get results in the World Cup, the next year must include the development and amplification of street smarts to complement the qualities already evident. Right now, it's fair to debate whether Canada is ready to face the best opponents around the world in must-win, competitive games. Based on recent results and quality in the squad, Canada could make a case for being Concacaf's best team at the moment. But the best team in the region usually delivers the right punches when it needs to in the World Cup. The U.S. outlasted Iran for a knockout spot in 2022 with an impressive win in a tense environment. Mexico flipped the 2018 World Cup on its head by shocking then-reigning champion Germany in their opening match, propelling El Tri to the knockout round. Does Canada have the quality and savviness to pull off those kinds of wins? The focus over the next year should be on preparing players for those kinds of scenarios. Expect Canada to book friendlies against top European and South American opponents at the end of 2025 and leading into the 2026 World Cup. Canada must not just welcome the experience of playing strong opponents, but also turn those experiences into results that will bolster their confidence. Behind the scenes, Canada's coaching staff has preached the need to believe they can beat anyone. That's proven to be a difficult psychological hurdle to overcome – especially with painful memories of the three losses in Qatar still lingering. Whether it's converting one chance or preventing one the other way, World Cup games are often decided by the slimmest of margins. One year before those games, Canada's best players have to put themselves into a place where they can break World Cup games wide open. If Canada's friendly draw (and loss on penalties) to Ivory Coast with a heavily-rotated squad proved anything, it's that Marsch's depth is a work in progress. But Canada's top-end talent is arguably as strong as any other Concacaf team. Advertisement That talent must arrive at the World Cup at its collective peak for Canada to make a dent. It's been easy to assume that Jonathan David will be an elite performer at the World Cup because he's been so automatic as of late. He has averaged a goal in over half the games he's played for Canada. David appears to be getting better as an attacker, too. There's a case to be made that his clinical finishing makes him Canada's most important player, especially if World Cup games get tight. Remember, Canada only advanced out of the Copa América group stage because David scored the lone goal in the first three matches, in a tight 1-0 win over Peru. David has likely scored as much as he has for Canada because he's also been firing with regularity with his club side, Ligue 1's Lille. But this summer, he'll move up the ladder to a club in a stronger league. But what happens if the playing time and goals don't continue? Canada is blessed to have a finisher of his quality. He's the type of player only the better World Cup teams will have. He's also, as it stands, Canada's only proven finisher. Very few moves this summer could alter Canada's chances like David's transfer. 'I think the most important thing for (David) is, it's not good if he goes somewhere and then he has to play on the bench a lot and not get minutes to keep himself sharp and fit and ready to go, especially with the World Cup being a year away,' Marsch said of David's upcoming transfer. At the other end, Moïse Bombito also has a case to be Canada's most important player at the World Cup. It was a lack of foot speed from central defenders that led to Belgium's lone goal in the teams' 2022 World Cup opener. Preventing that goal could have resulted in a draw – and changed Canada's tournament. It's that fine margin again. Canada's coaching staff believes Bombito's speed, physical profile and technical qualities give him the potential to be elite at the position. While a move from Ligue 1's Nice is highly unlikely before the World Cup, keeping the 25-year-old sharp and injury-free – he's currently out with a wrist injury – is crucial. Advertisement Then there's Davies. Will he recover from his devastating ACL tear through this upcoming season at Bayern Munich? The all-world left back's confidence and pacy play will also be paramount to Canada's chances. Eustáquio's playing time with a very good Porto side in Portugal has ebbed and flowed. When he's not playing for his club side, he's not as disciplined and effective for Canada. As the most central player on the field, his minutes have to stay high for Canada's transition play to be sharp. Canada's last two friendlies and Gold Cup will effectively act as the final auditions for players Marsch is looking to round out his World Cup squad. That he got buy-in from many top players to feature in the Gold Cup could help squad harmony and tactical understanding. 'By the way, not one guy has said to me, 'I don't want to come to the Gold Cup,'' Marsch said, in what feels like a not-so-thinly-veiled shot at the U.S.'s squad, highlighted by the absence of Christian Pulisic. Building out his team beyond the World Cup locks is a constant topic of discussion in team meetings, with Marsch consistently asking his group a version of this question: What are you doing on your own time to be part of the players we need in 2026? One year out, let's break down where Canada's roster is likely at and who must earn Marsch's trust with their play for club and country: Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Moïse Bombito, Stephen Eustáquio Tajon Buchanan, Alistair Johnston, Derek Cornelius, Maxime Crepeau, Dayne St. Clair, Ali Ahmed Outside of the goalkeepers, expect these players to start nearly every World Cup game. They've earned Marsch's trust and must execute on his physical demands – aggression and pressing – whenever possible in their club seasons. Richie Laryea, Jonathan Osorio, Cyle Larin, Ismaël Koné, Mathieu Choinière, Jacob Shaffelburg Advertisement There's a lot of veteran leadership here. Marsch might not get more than a handful of starts across the board at the World Cup from these players, but he will need them at their fittest to execute his pressing style. Tom McGill, Joel Waterman, Luc De Fougerolles, Niko Sigur, Nathan Saliba, Tani Oluwaseyi The most important question these players must answer over the next year: Can they be trusted? That will involve making consistently sound decisions through their club season and then elevating their play and physicality in Canada training sessions. They might not play continuously through the World Cup, but Marsch will need to be convinced they can quickly adapt to whatever a game may present in a rare start or appearance off the bench. Promise David, Daniel Jebbison, Gabriele Biancheri, Jamie Knight-Lebel, Kamal Miller, Sam Adekugbe, Jayden Nelson, Zorhan Bassong, Liam Millar, Jacen Russell-Rowe, Luca Koleosho For some, including Adekugbe and Millar, health will determine their place in the squad. For others, they must show Marsch they can handle his physical and tactical demands. For Koleosho, it's about Marsch convincing the Burnley winger to join Canada instead of Italy, Nigeria or the U.S. Jonathan Sirois, James Pantemis, Junior Hoilett, Samuel Piette, Santiago Lopez, Kwasi Poku, Shola Jimoh, Theo Bair, Stephen Afrifa With a combination of veteran voices and young players without much international experience, it would take injuries elsewhere or seriously strong seasons from those in this group to put them on the squad. (Top illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; Mark Blinch, Eliecer Aizprua Banfield / Jam Media, Shaun Clark / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)


New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Canada Olympic hockey: Projecting the men's First 6, big questions about the rest of the roster
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — As one of the top performers in this Stanley Cup Final, Brad Marchand is obviously dreaming about winning a championship right now. But he also has another important item placed at the top of his list of short-term goals: pulling on a Team Canada sweater at the Winter Olympics in Milan next February. Advertisement 'It's one of the biggest things I think about and that I care about,' Marchand told The Athletic on Wednesday. An impressive playoff run where he's been just a shade under a point-per-game for the Florida Panthers will certainly help his cause. The fact that he's 37 years old and coming off a regular season where he endured some health setbacks will not. As a result, Marchand is not expected to be among the first six players named to the team when Hockey Canada finalizes those selections. The first six roster choices for each participating country could be announced as soon as Monday. However, he's still very much in the mix for a spot on the final 25-man roster, due to be picked by Dec. 31. The Olympic tournament is so prominent in Marchand's mind that he only plans to take a couple of days of rest following the conclusion of this Stanley Cup Final before diving into his offseason training regimen. Never mind that his actual season is going to extend into at least mid-June. Marchand is among the generation of NHLers hurt by the league's decision to pass on participating in the 2018 and 2022 Games because they fell in his prime and were held immediately after he made his best-on-best debut at the 2016 World Cup. 'I feel like we got robbed of going to the last two,' Marchand said. 'It's an opportunity that I never ever thought that I would even come close to having. When you get in the NHL, that's like the pipe dream. That's the be-all or end-all. To be considered for that Olympic team is such a completely different level than anything you could ever really dream of when you're younger. 'So, yeah, when it became a possibility it's one of the things that I strive for. That's one of the things that I think about when I'm training and when things get tough.' Marchand was among the first six players selected by Team Canada last June for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Advertisement However, the veteran winger also went through three separate surgical procedures over the summer to fix issues with his elbow, groin and abdominal area. He missed three months of training as a result and saw a dip in his production to 51 points in 71 games split between the Boston Bruins and the Panthers. Marchand has effectively erased memories of a challenging year with his superlative playoffs, which have included two overtime winners and a series-leading four goals in the Stanley Cup Final. Plus he says there were other mitigating factors — like the fact the Bruins struggled on the power play — that contributed to his offensive dip. 'You go from being a point-a-game guy to 0.75 and it's (viewed as) the end of the world, but there's a lot of different factors that go into that,' Marchand said. 'I never overthought that stuff. I don't get caught up in how the outside world perceives my play or anything like that. It's just about coming in, working hard. If you do the right things long enough sometimes you get the right bounces.' So who would replace Marchand if he's not a member of the first six players announced? Here's our projection. Connor McDavid: Safe to say the guy that scored the McGolden Goal at the 4 Nations will be this team's centerpiece in Italy. Sidney Crosby: Captain Canada will get to play with another roster full of teammates who grew up idolizing him. Nathan MacKinnon: The NHL's third-highest scorer across the past three seasons and the 4 Nations MVP is another easy selection. Brayden Point: A favorite of head coach Jon Cooper highlights what an embarrassment of riches Canada has down the middle. Cale Makar: Fresh off a second career Norris Trophy, Makar is a lock to represent his country for the next decade. Devon Toews: There are multiple attractive options to go with on the final pick, including Sam Reinhart and Mitch Marner, but locking in another defenseman who just happens to be Makar's regular partner in Colorado makes a ton of sense. Pietrangelo was initially named to the 4 Nations roster but wound up missing the tournament to deal with an undisclosed injury and then endured a difficult end to his season with the Vegas Golden Knights. That begs the question: Will the right-shot defenseman's body still allow him to compete at an Olympic level? Advertisement The same thinking applies to Doughty, who was a last-minute injury fill-in at the 4 Nations after missing several months recovering from a broken left ankle. He's a beloved national team player who will need to prove something to management with his play in the opening months of next season. Among the notable younger blueliners knocking at the door for an opportunity behind them? Start with Thomas Harley of the Dallas Stars and Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers. It's pretty rare for a teenager to get the call from Team Canada, but Celebrini has a legitimate shot after capping an impressive rookie NHL season by hitting it off with Crosby at the IIHF World Hockey Championship. Some of Canada's most impactful hockey voices are already big fans of Celebrini's game – making the only real question 'when' he'll represent the country in best-on-best competition, not 'if' he will. However, the depth of Canadian talent at forward is enviable and management will be cognizant of using the final roster spots to fill specific roles. That Canada will bring 14 forwards to the event is worth noting because it opens the door to the possibility of carrying a younger player as an extra in case of injury or performance needs. Connor Bedard could theoretically be in the mix for that kind of job as well but would need to have a major breakout in the early part of next season for the Chicago Blackhawks. The consternation about the state of Canada's goaltending ended up being overblown because of how well Jordan Binnington played at the 4 Nations, particularly in the championship game against Team USA. We can safely pencil him into the No. 1 job for now with an important caveat that the position is often volatile and unpredictable. Advertisement That means the door remains open for any breakthrough performers in the first three months of the season to grab jobs. That includes Vegas' Adin Hill and Montreal's Samuel Montembeault, who were the Nos. 2 and 3 at the 4 Nations, but also a list that includes Vezina Trophy finalist Darcy Kuemper of the Los Angeles Kings and Logan Thompson, who had a strong year for the Washington Capitals. No matter how it shakes out, there should be fewer hot takes this time around about the challenges Canada is facing in the crease. (Photo of Brad Marchand: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)


New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
What's going on with USMNT? Plus: Players to watch at Club World Cup
The Athletic FC ⚽ is The Athletic's daily football (or soccer, if you prefer) newsletter. Sign up to receive it directly to your inbox. Hello! Mauricio Pochettino was sold the American dream. His USMNT are having a nightmare. We're trying to get our heads around it. 🥵 Poch feels the heat 🏀 NBA, NFL bids for EPL club 📡 The Club World Cup Radar 👀 Totti's long-range belter 'I'm the guilty one here,' said Mauricio Pochettino, which made a change from apportioning blame to the players around him. Nothing has epitomised the awkward coupling between the USMNT and their new head coach quite like him digging out his squad at regular intervals. But Pochettino's mea culpa after Tuesday's 4-0 mauling by Switzerland was a variation on a recurring theme: that his collaboration with the U.S. has started badly, or taken longer than it should have done to take off. Don't forget, this was supposed to be U.S. Soccer getting serious and making the national team all they could be at the 2026 World Cup. It paid big to pluck Poch from the uppermost club coaching bracket. Advertisement So what's going on? Some mitigation before anything else. Pochettino's pool of players for the past week of friendlies has been weaker than normal. Certain mainstays such as Christian Pulisic and Sergino Dest are resting, and fringe names were rotated in on Tuesday. The fitness of his squad has been so temperamental he must think a clean bill of health is something that only happens for other coaches. His record over 10 games, though, is concerning: five wins and five defeats, with four of those losses in his past four matches. He fumbled the fixtures which really mattered, at the Concacaf Nations League, and he'll be bailing water if the confederation's Gold Cup — starting this Sunday — goes wrong, too. It took a mere six months for USMNT godfather Bruce Arena to imply that the Argentine was a poor choice. The Athletic's Paul Tenorio made me chuckle when he wrote in yesterday's TAFC: 'The honeymoon is over and a marriage counsellor is on retainer.' The trouble is that when you watch Poch's side, it's not easy to spot a fluent style forming, or dependable patterns of play. To wit: they Americans are no more potent than they were on the day Gregg Berhalter was fired last July. Just to branch off on a tangent for a second: across international football as a whole, we might be seeing evidence that switching from club jobs to a national team's technical area is trickier than it sounds. The crossover is in vogue, but how wise a ploy is it? England are furrowing Thomas Tuchel's brow. Germany have been ordinary under Julian Nagelsmann. Carlo Ancelotti isn't a sure-fire cure for Brazil's mediocrity. In reality, international coaching offers little scope to implement a detailed, tactical plan over a finite period. Training sessions are too few. Perhaps that's why associations went through a phase of banking on pragmatic types already working for them in another position, often coaching an age-group team; England did it with Gareth Southgate, Spain with Luis de la Fuente and Argentina with Lionel Scaloni. Advertisement There's an added complication for Pochettino, and one which is largely out of his control. The USMNT is not awash with world-class talent. Pulisic is as close as it gets but it surely says something that the cream of the crop in European club football aren't spending to sign him. It's concerning — if not surprising — that fatigue will see him sit out the Gold Cup entirely. The U.S. roster has its limits. That much is obvious. As Paul writes, the requisite depth is not there. But they should be, and have to be, better than this. 'If you want to criticise me, go ahead,' Pochettino said on Tuesday, and that grumbling could mount internally as well as externally at this rate. Because the World Cup is huge, it's predominantly on home soil next time, it's arriving soon and it will be many, many years before it comes around again. Somewhere in the not-so-distant future, FIFA will announce ticket prices for next year's World Cup finals. A handful are up for grabs already — corporate bargains at $73,500 a head, for example — but general-sale costs are still being finalised. The World Cup is a far bigger event than FIFA's Club World Cup (CWC), the revamped version of which starts in the U.S. on Saturday. But in Adam Crafton's overview of all of the things which need sorting for summer 2026, ticket sales are as intriguing as anything — because the CWC is failing to capture the imagination. The world governing body is offering students five tickets for $20 for the first game in Miami this weekend (down from $349 shortly after the group-stage draw in December). Realistically, it wouldn't be doing that if a) punters were queuing up to be there and b) it wasn't concerned about television cameras showing stacks of empty seats. Broadcast rights to this event set DAZN back $1bn after all. Advertisement On TV, the equivalent of two thirds of the globe's population will watch the 2026 World Cup. That audience is assured. But on the ground? It will sell better, sure, but were common sense to prevail, the take-up for the CWC should have some influence on FIFA's plans for next year. Don't hold your breath. One of the highlights of The Athletic's coverage of any tournament is always The Radar. Published before the games begin, it's our tactical, who's-who bible. You'll find Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe et all in today's Club World Cup breakdown but the real treats are the lesser-known profiles, like that of Auckland City's Dylan Manickum. He's a 32-year-old whose working life combines semi-pro football and, incredibly, full-time employment as an engineer. Beyond him, look out for River Plate's 17-year-old Franco Mastantuono. The precocious midfielder broke Lionel Messi's record as the youngest debutant in a competitive match for Argentina, and he's most likely off to Real Madrid soon. Also, a shout out to Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. Last year, he was the first Africa-based 'keeper to be shortlisted for the Yashin Trophy, awarded annually to the world's best. Williams has the knack of reading penalties (below) and if Sundowns make any sort of splash, they'll likely be indebted to their main man. It's been one of those weeks for Italy's national team; one of those weeks they have from time to time. Who can rescue them from the hole they have dug for themselves? What about Francesco Totti, the drop-dead-gorgeous 2006 World Cup winner? He's 48 years old now but the force remains strong, as shown by him casually finishing from halfway in an old-boys' game over the weekend. In October, he talked (semi-seriously) about coming out of retirement. Let's get it on.